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| Johnny B. Good (sometimes) |
In case you didn't know it, Johnny Manziel lives a blessed, privileged life. Hell, from where I'm sitting, I think college athletes have it pretty damned good...and this guy is living waaaaaaaaaaay above the average college football player's rent.
I left college with student loans, searching for a job and not having much of a network after I got off campus...and still felt pretty blessed and lucky to have a Purdue diploma. Conversely, it seems pretty chic for college athletes to continually ask how and why they don't have more than they do...and among entitled college athletes, Manziel seems to be their king.
He's a damned good football player, there's no doubt about that. He made SEC defenses look slow at times last season...before I heard him open his mouth, I thought he was like Drew Brees...times 100. Instant impact. Killer instinct. Quick feet. Excellent decision making ability (on the field). Accurate enough to make defenses pay time and again for gambling...and of course, he's a winner.
He's coached by the guy that I wanted to be coaching Purdue a few seasons ago (have I told you guys that?), one of Purdue's favorite sons, Kevin Sumlin. Texas A&M's fanbase was a sleeping giant awaiting to be nudged...and Sumlin and Johnny Football poked the bear and Aggie fans roared to life.
We Purdue fans love Brees because he's such a great representative of Purdue...but before we knew that he'd be an ambassador at the level he's been, we were pretty damned fond of him as a player because of his competitiveness and results. Brees was the Heisman runner-up...married a verrrrry pretty blonde from our alma mater, went to the NFL, turned two franchises around, won a Super Bowl and has become a darling of the NFL-covering media. Oh yeah, every time he has the chance to positively mention the metallic beige and black, he does so...and his money also goes where his mouth does as he's given millions to God's country's athletic department.
Johnny Manziel, take heed here, bro: Look at Purdue's favorite son for guidance of how to live...and stop following NBA prima donnas around.
Manziel is regularly seen courtside at big NBA games...even in the NBA finals. As you know, I'm not much of a fan of the league, BUT, I do know that those seats cost a dime or two...and unless you're a Heisman Trophy winner and/or an extremely rich and connected guy, you're not getting those seats. Just ask Lil' Wayne a year ago.
So when Manziel isn't sitting in $10,000 seats, he's flashing stacks of green, hanging with women who look like strippers or beauty queens, meeting celebs, having people buy him expensive drinks and pretty much getting comped everywhere he goes. You can't really fault someone for enjoying the spoils of not only being the BMOC, but the BM in America, really.
I did a five minute research project and found Manziel literally all over America, in dugouts, locker rooms, parties and on TV shows. I pretty much hate celebrity gossip shows, so much of this was news to me...BUT, all of it seems like an NCAA violation. There's no subtlety, no gray area really...aOSU players got busted for tattoos due to the fact that they were Buckeyes...I'm pretty sure Manziel isn't buying his own tickets and field passes...or airfare, for that matter. If he were, he'd have racked up about $2 million dollars on the AmEx in this calendar year alone. And let's be naive for a moment and act like he did it all on his own dime; he could once again take a lesson from Purdue's old #15.
When Brees was on the verge of becoming a millionaire following his Senior season, I saw him at Purdue's Spring game...wearing a button down shirt, baseball cap, khaki shorts and flip flops. Like Manziel, Brees isn't a physically-imposing guy...so he can blend in pretty well, if he wants to. But that's clearly not J. Football's m.o. BUT, imploring people to empathize with the spoils that come with a jet setter's lifestyle falls on completely deaf ears for 99.99% of America, even those in College Station, I'd bet.
Don't ever forget that I love A&M with all of my heart, but please please walk a day in my shoes
— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) June 16, 2013
Texas A&M was the team I pulled for last year when not rooting for Purdue simply because of Sumlin's leadership...but now, I'm forced to root heavily against Manziel and company because he's become the Justin Bieber of college football.
Can T A&M take the next step in the coming season and be crowned as national champs? Based on what I'm seeing form their QB, I'd bet no...and I'd also guess that he doesn't care too much. He's gotten his, and continues to do so.
Earlier, I told you how about I thought Manziel was like Brees, but better. But after looking at the two, something is very clear. One is a truly better man, the other is a petulant little boy who wants to be treated like a man. For his sake, hopefully Manziel grows up a bit before he gets his wish and leaves College Station...because I'm sure he's taking everything for granted at this point and is destined to join Ryan Leaf, Matt Jones, Jamarcus Russell and others as a "what might have been" players who never reached their full potential due to hubris, poor attitude and work ethic and bad decisions.
As I referenced, I'm a huge fan of Kevin Sumlin...he'll earn his money this coming season as he attempts to wrangle Manziel's ego and fit his ginormous head into an A&M helmet.